Public Safety Director's Spotlight - Community Mediation Services

 

Community Mediation Services

Community Mediation Services is accepting four more participants for its 40-hour volunteer conflict resolution class to begin Saturday, Feb. 21.  The mission of Community Mediation Services is to bring people together to talk and resolve issues.  Please visit www.mediationstl.org to learn more, and call (314) 533-3550 to indicate your interest in participating in the program.

Upcoming Events

Feb. 6 – First Friday, Grand Center, 5 to 9 p.m.

Enjoy an evening of art, music, and culture the first Friday of every month in Grand Center.  This Friday, stop by Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (CAM), 3750 Washington Boulevard, take an exhibition tour led by Museum staff, enjoy a drink at the bar and music from a different DJ each month.  This season, in collaboration with the International Institute, CAM is offering Spanish and American Sign Language tours.  Questions?  Call (314) 535-4660.

Feb. 6 – First Friday Art Walk, Lafayette Square, 6 to 9 p.m.

Invite your family and friends to stop by the galleries and businesses in Lafayette Square for their monthly Art Walk.  1900 Park welcomes Connie Luebbert and her collection of Americanized Chinese Brush paintings, along with live music, while Design Extra welcomes Jon Cournoyer.  Forest Gallery has a delightful selection of regional and worldwide paintings for your shopping pleasure.  For more details, visit the 1900park.com web site.

Feb. 6 – 42 Comes to Life!, New City School, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

As part of its "diversity beyond the numbers" focus, New City School is hosting a celebration of Jackie Robinson this Friday from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the school located at 5209 Waterman Boulevard in the Central West End neighborhood.  Robinson's granddaughter and the granddaughter of Branch Rickey, the Dodgers' General Manager who engineered the integration of major league baseball, will reflect on their lives, clips from the movie 42 will be shown and a thoughtful discussion will round out the evening.  There's no charge, but please RSVP to Debbie Rodemacher (drodemacher@newcityschool.org) if you plan to attend.

Feb. 6 – STLive on Washington Avenue, Downtown St. Louis, 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Washington Avenue is alive with the sound of music every Friday night all year long at various Washington Avenue restaurants.  Participating restaurants include:  Tigin Irish Pub, Pi, Robust, Takaya, Over/Under, Prime 1000, Dubliner, Stanley's, Copia, Flamingo Bowl, Bobby's Place, Hair of the Dog, Blondie's, Lucas Park Grille, Rosalita's, Flannery's, Wash Ave Post, Hiro Asian Kitchen, Sen Thai and many more.  Invite your co-workers and friends to join you for the live music, drink and dinner specials, and a fun night out on Washington Avenue.  For more information, visit the STLive Facebook page.

Feb. 7 -- Mardi Gras – 5K Run For Your Beads, starts on 8^th Street just south of Lafayette, 9 a.m. to Noon

Get your exercise this Saturday, Mardi Gras style, at the Missouri Lottery 5K Run For Your Beads race.  Dress in your best purple, gold, and green costume and enjoy the run through the historic Soulard neighborhood.  In true Mardi Gras spirit, pit stops along the race route will hand out complimentary beer and hurricanes (for runners 21 and older).  The run will step off from 8^th and Lafayette at 9 a.m.  Registration fee is $30 through day of race.  To sign up, go to the mardigrasinc.com web site.

Feb. 7 – Cupid's Undie Run, Syberg's, 2 p.m.

Be a part of something great by participating in the Cupid's Undie Run this Saturday, starting at Syberg's, 2211 Market Street in the Downtown West neighborhood.  Doors will open at Noon and the Undie Run will step off at 2 p.m.  Last year, Cupid's raised more than $2.8 million for the Children's Tumor Foundation to end NF.  You can start a team, join a team or just run solo.  Registration ranges from $30 to $55.  For all the particulars, visit the cupidsundierun.com web site.

Feb. 7 & 8– Mardi Gras – Taste of Soulard, at participating establishments throughout Soulard, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

One of the most popular events of the Mardi Gras St. Louis season is the Southern Comfort Taste of Soulard unique, self-guided tasting and pub crawl through the historic Soulard neighborhood.  Every $25 ticket will include one Southern Comfort drink voucher and six food vouchers.  You choose the dishes you wish to sample at participating establishments.  Saturday attendees can enjoy complimentary trolley rides from one establishment to the next.  For more information and to order tickets in advance, visit the mardigrasinc.com web site.

Feb. 8 – Todd Wilson Organ Recital, Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, 2:30 to 4 p.m.

Regarded across America and around the world as one of today's finest concert organists, Todd Wilson will give an Organ Recital this Sunday at Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, 4431 Lindell Boulevard in the trendy Central West End neighborhood. The admission price will be $15.  For more details, visit the CathedralConcerts.org web site.

Feb. 8 – Mardi Gras – Beggin'® Pet Parade, 12^th & Allen, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Grab your furry, four-legged friends this Sunday and head for the lively Soulard neighborhood for the 22^nd Annual Beggin' Pet Parade.  Registration day of the event will begin at 10 a.m. on the corner of 12^th and Allen.  (Note  :this is a new registration location.)  The organizers request a $10 registration fee  .All proceeds will benefit Open Door Animal Sanctuary.  The parade will step off at 1 p.m. from 12^th and Allen, wind its way through the neighborhood and end at 9^th and Lafayette.  After the parade, enjoy a live performance from Blues Traveler at 9^th and Julia.  For more details, visit the mardigrasinc.com web site.

Feb. 8 – Mardi Gras – Wiener Dog Derby, Rudy Commons @ Soulard Market, 2 p.m.

The longest-running dachshund derby in America will once again take place this Sunday in Wiener Stadium, set up in Rudy Commons, the brick plaza in front of Soulard Market on Lafayette, 8^th &Lafayette.  Hundreds of dachshunds will descend upon the plaza to determine the fastest dachshund in metro St. Louis.  Registration will begin at 10 a.m. with an entry fee of $10.  The first heat will begin at 2 p.m.  Invite your family and friends to join you for a fun afternoon at the Mardi Gras Wiener Dog Derby.  For more information, visit the mardigrasinc.com web site.

Feb. 9 – St. Louis Civil Rights Stories, Carpenter Branch Library, 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Experience the Civil Rights Era and its impact as told through the eyes of three veterans of the Civil Rights movement on Monday, February 9 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Carpenter Branch Library, 3309 S. Grand Boulevard in the Tower Grove South neighborhood.  A PowerPoint presentation on Civil Rights moments will be used as a background for the St. Louis Civil Rights Stories program.  For more information about this free Black History Month event, contact Linda Smith at (314) 880-8759 or lsmith@slpl.org.

Feb. 11 – Free Income Tax Preparation Workshop, William J .Harrison Education Center, 4:30 to 8:30 p.m.

The Office of Comptroller Darlene Green is co-sponsoring a Free Income Tax Preparation Workshop on Wednesday, February 11, from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the William J. Harrison Education Center, 3140 Cass Avenue in the JeffVanderLou neighborhood.  Volunteers with the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) will be there to prepare 2014 income tax returns for St. Louis residents.  They will also electronically file 2014 tax returns (federal and state) at no cost.  If prior year returns have not been filed (2012 &2013), they can electronically file those as well.  The program is open to all residents in the St. Louis area with incomes up to $58,000 annually.  Questions?  Call (314) 613-7360.

Save the Date

Feb. 13 – 2015 Rise and Shine "Have a Heart & Heat a Home" Fundraiser, at participating Hardee's locations, 6 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Feb. 13 – Citizens for Modern Transit's First-ever Transit Crush, Along the MetroLink Alignment, 4 to 6 p.m.

Feb. 13 – Mayor's Mardi Gras Ball, City Hall, 7 p.m. to Midnight

Feb. 13 – Pre Grand Parade Mardi Gras Party, Ballpark Village, 8 to 11 p.m.

Feb. 14 – Run for the Chocolate 2015, Laclede's Landing, 9 a.m.

Feb. 14 – Mardi Gras Bud Light Grand Parade, starting at Busch Stadium, 11 a.m.

Feb. 15 – Le Jazz Hot!, Second Presbyterian Church, 4 to 5 p.m.

Feb. 15 & 16 – Delta Dental Mardi Gras, St. Louis Zoo, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Feb. 17 – Mardi Gras Fat Tuesday Parade, Washington & Broadway, 5:30 p.m.

Promoting Your Neighborhood Activities

Is there a neighborhood event on the schedule that you would like noted in the Spotlight?  If so, you may email the information about it to me at GrayR@stlouis-mo.gov or to Cathy Smentkowski at smentkowskic@stlouis-mo.gov for consideration.  You may also post it on the City's Calendar of Events on the City's web site:  http://stlouis-mo.gov.  The link to submit an event is at the very bottom of the home page.  The listing is free.  I encourage you to take advantage of this free way to promote your event.

Fourth Annual St. Louis Education Summit & Job Fair

The Fourth Annual St. Louis Education Summit will take place this Saturday, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.  A broad range of educators from across the St. Louis region will engage in a free, energizing, informative, and exciting day of learning and sharing.  Educators will showcase and learn from best practices, connect with support services in the community, and be inspired by the work being done in the St. Louis region.  The Summit will be immediately followed by the Education Job Fair, featuring several schools and districts in the St. Louisa area.  For more information and to register, visit the tfastl.com web site.

Col. Richard Gray

Director of Public Safety

City of St. Louis